Northwest NEWS

May 8, 2000

Kaleidoscope's spring concert features two local dancers

by Deborah Stone, features writer

Kaleidoscope Dance Company's Spring Concert Series, "Kaleidoscope in Concert," offers an array of works by a variety of choreographers, all performed by a talented company of young people, ages eight to fifteen.

Kaleidoscope, long viewed as a Northwest treasure, is the oldest modern dance company in Seattle. Founded in 1981 by Anne Green Gilbert, an internationally-recognized teacher and choreographer, the company has built a reputation that balances professionalism with youth, and is well-known for its unique, expressive repertory.

Two local dancers, Adrienne Clark and Leah Glover, both of Kenmore, are featured in the program.

Clark, a fourth grader at Lockwood Elementary, has been dancing since she was in kindergarten, and this is her third year with Kaleidoscope. "I love to dance," comments Clark, "because I get to express my feelings and also make other people feel different feelings, too. It's been fun being a part of Kaleidoscope because the people are so nice and I've met a lot of new friends."

Clark is dancing in four numbers for the show, and her favorite one is entitled "Jumanji."

She says, "In 'Jumanji,' I get to be a monkey and move around like a monkey and make monkey faces at the audience. It's great for me, because I'm a human monkey in real life. I'm very exuberant, energetic, funny, and I like to act goofy and wild sometimes, so this is a perfect dance for me."

For Clark, the challenge in dance comes from learning to do the movements precisely and correctly, as well as understanding how to keep time with the music. She rarely worries about stage fright, as she enjoys performing on stage.

Clark hopes to teach dance when she is older, particularly to physically handicapped individuals, but she also plans to learn to play the flute.

Leah Glover, a fifth grade Kenmore Elementary student, has been dancing since she was a year old. This is her third year with Kaleidoscope and she continues to enjoy participating in the company's classes, programs, and tours to various international destinations.

Glover has been to Finland and Russia with the company and plans to participate in the Saskatchewan trip this summer. She says, "It's been so much fun to travel with Kaleidoscope and meet all different kinds of people and see different places."

Glover likes learning new dances which offer various challenges for her. In the spring concert, she will be dancing in six numbers and has a solo in "Jumanji."

"I'm a snake and I do a lot of sliding around on the floor, but then I spend a lot of time on my toes, too," explains Glover. "I stretch and spin and do all sorts of neat movements. It was a definite challenge for me to learn all the movements, but I love to spin, so it's really fun. I'm also in a piece called 'Soar' where I get to spin, too."

Glover likes working with the different choreographers because they each have their different styles and that makes it interesting for her. She doesn't know whether dance is in her future as a career, but she feels she would like to continue doing it as a hobby.

"I'd like to do something with math, like be a chemist, or I'd like to be a veterinarian," comments Glover. "I want to do something to help the world somehow."

For now, these two girls have one immediate goal in their minds and Clark sums it up with these words: "I want to make people laugh and help them to have a good time at the show."

"Kaleidoscope in Concert" will be held May 12-14 at the Broadway Performance Hall. For ticket information, call 206-363-7281.